This invention relates to a system for searching a desired object, more concretely to a system for searching an object with considering a factor of an area regarded as important in searching the object.
Conventionally, for searching a desired object by the use of a search system or the like a key word relating to the object is input and then a corresponding object is retrieved from all data existing in a data base and output. As a result, in a case that a factor of an area is regarded as important in searching an object such that a person who is specially interested in a production place of the material or a specific area searches a material supplier neighboring to the production place or the specific area, an area name or the like is required to input as a key word in addition to the object to be searched.
However, in searching an object in a limited area a person who intends to search the object does not know what name the area is registered in a database. Then, for example, the person does not know whether the search should be conduct in a limited area such as a city, town or village or in a boarder area such as a state, a province or a country. As a result, if the person tries to conduct a search all over the area in detail, all the key word such as a name of a city, town or village as well as a name of a state must be input. Because of this, not only an operation to input key words is made complicated but also it takes a lot of time to input key words.
In view of the above problems, the present claimed invention intends to provide a system which makes it easy to search an object with making a number of operation as less as possible in searching the object with considering a factor of an area where the object locates regarded as important.
In order to solve the above problems the present claimed invention is so arranged that an object to be searched is stored in advance together with information on an area relating to the object and the object which belongs to the specified area is output when a condition which is to be the object to be searched is input. If there is no object existing in the area or if the object is desired to search in a neighboring area of the above area, instruction to broaden the area to be searched is input and then the object is searched gradually in an area broader than the specified area.
With the above arrangement, a person who inputs an object to be searched does not have to input all names of neighboring areas which relate to the object, thereby to make it easy to conduct a search. As one of the cases in which a factor of an area is regarded as important, there is a case, for example, in an industry such as a manufacturing industry a material supplier or a processor which locates in a neighboring area where a manufacturer locates is searched in order to reduce a cost of transportation. In this case, it is preferable that the material supplier or the processor registers an address thereof together with information on the material or the processing facilities which the material supplier or the processor can supply and that a demander or a manufacturer which makes a final product can search necessary information on the material or the processing in a specific area and further the information can be searched gradually in an area broader than the specific area.
In accordance with the arrangement, the most suitable material supplier or the processor can be searched, thereby to make it possible to conduct an effective search. In addition, in case of conducting a search in a specified area, it is preferable, for example, to output a material supplier or a processor which locates in the same area that a manufacturer which makes a final product locates. With this arrangement, it can not only improve efficiency in transporting the material but also promote development of economy in the area. Further, for example, in a case that a customer has preference for a production place of material or some specific area, it becomes possible to comply the demand of the customer as much as possible.
For a case that a material supplier or a processor registers information on material or processing that the material supplier or the processor can provide, there might be a case that the material or the processing does not fit for assembling into a final product. It is therefore preferable that a manufacturer discloses a required specification in advance and the material supplier or the processor registers information on the material or the processing based on the required specification. With the above arrangement, a trouble can be prevented which might be caused during a process of manufacturing a final product and it becomes smooth for the material supplier or the processor to register the information since a range of the information to be disclosed by the material supplier or the processor becomes clear.